‘Angkor Awakens: A Portrait of Cambodia’ does justice to an anguished history

Robert Lieberman’s documentary focuses on the devastation wrought by the Pol Pot regime and the Khmer Rouge right up to Cambodia’s present.

Courtesy of Jonathan Eames/OBE

A woman farms by a bird in 'Angkor Awakens: A Portrait of Cambodia.'

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May 12, 2017

By Peter RainerFilm critic

Robert Lieberman’s documentary “Angkor Awakens: A Portrait of Cambodia” is a comprehensive and compelling film that does justice to the anguished history of Cambodia, focusing on the devastation wrought by the Pol Pot regime and the Khmer Rouge right up to the present, when, as many of the film’s commentators note, the entire country appears to be in a state of post-traumatic stress. Despite all this, Lieberman strikes an optimistic coda that feels not false but inspirational. Grade: A- (This film is not rated.)

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